i bought 4 flathead ford motors the other day. want to build one for 1930 dirt track racer. Everything looks good except this piston. i has a 1953 Ford Mainline I bought from my uncle in 1962. The same hole. It was caused by the left bank thermostat sticking closed. At least that was the consensus then. I have not looked at the thermostat yet. I think I will just repa lace the shot piston, Hone all the cylinders and put some new rings on it and run it. Pais $100 for all 4 motors. Now I need a Model T frame and some Model A axles.
Only see one "Ford part number" crack to the right of the piston with the hole. Any other obvious cracks?
I’m sure it’s an optical illusion but the open valve to the right doesn’t look concentric to the seat. Probably the camera angle. And that cylinder has some nice scratches. Maybe stuck or broken rings.
Why would u want a model a axle??? For the rear, I presume. Even the later model v8 axle was relatively weak 70-80 years ago,now after that many years of rust and everyday useage, is even weaker. If you absolutely want a banjo rear end, one key to look for is the tightness of the drum on the hub. These rear ends came with a square piece of keystock that for any kind of “performance” driving the square stock must be a tight fit in the drum and the matching axle. Make sure you “box” the T frame thoroughly as they are easy to “twist like a pretzel”. Just my opinion, but you are dealing with relatively “weak” parts and yes I am aware of the flatheads relatively low power output but even a stocker can wreak havoc on the pieces you want to build a car with.
I'm not sure what to do about the crack in the block at the bolt hole next to the cylinder. Is it junk?
This video shows the builder installing inserts on those bolt holes with similar cracks. They had to do five of them.
A crack from a stud or bolt hole is not much to worry about. Most worst cracks occur along the pan rail or from a valve seat to the bore. Some people will put a sleeve in the bore where the cracked valve seat to bore occur; some people work thru the crack by pinning. A lot of people try to sell a block or engine saying that it is a runner. A block can still be cracked and yet run, so I rarely give more than $100-$150 . Having bought,sold,traded over 50 engines over a 60 year “love affair”, I have pretty much seen it all. Flatheads Forever!!
Well that piston may have been hot in the process but I'm thinking that it had a bad case of indigestion from the bolt or screw it ate. Lets see a photo of the head showing the combustion chamber from that Cylinder.
That nick isn't from FOD, it's the direction arrow. The little crack between the stud hole and the water port doesn't need any repair. Goop the stud up good and the thing will live for many more years. Just don't run any taps down stud hole threads as you will make them too loose and you will have weeping studs forever.
I'm more curious about the "KAR TITE ALLOY" bolt screwed into the block. Never heard of that make of bolt or should I say cap screw.
You might want to take a close look at the matching imprint in the head plus the three imprints put there by the FOD when it pounded it's way through the piston.
You might want to take a look at the piston to the right and notice the exact same mark in the exact same place.
Us guys who mess with bikes know pri ignition damage. A piece of something got red hot causing very advanced ignition and in just several engine cycles the piston dome over heats and collapses. The suspected loose object may have caused the pre ignition but it did not in my opinion, directly cause the piston dome hole damage. this photo is what pre ignition does in a second with no loose junk in the cylinder.
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